A German organic farming association’s president criticizes the European Union’s agricultural policy. The European Commission is now often viewing ecological farming from an “ideological bull in a china shop” perspective, said Hubert Heigl, president of the Bioanbauverbands Naturland, in an interview with the Spiegel.
Heigl specifically criticizes the EU’s enforcement of a full-range grazing requirement for all animals on organic farms in Germany. Alternatives such as walk-in or outdoor pens are no longer allowed. The background is a stricter interpretation of the EU’s organic farming regulation.
The enforcement of the full-range grazing requirement is an example of how organic farming is being hindered by bureaucracy, Heigl said. “Of course, grazing belongs to bio. The goal is always to offer as much grazing as possible” Heigl said. “But here, farms are being forced out of the market that exemplify exemplary ecological farming and, in their way, offer a high level of animal welfare. Nobody wins in this case.”
The issue primarily concerns farms in southern Germany, where farms often have limited space and are located in close proximity to each other. Organic farms that have invested in large walk-in pens due to the lack of grazing possibilities will be affected, Heigl said. The EU’s organic farming regulation explicitly leaves room for a site-adapted implementation. In this sense, farms were previously advised and built accordingly.
Figures are circulating in the dairy industry, suggesting that up to 20 percent of organic milk in southern Germany may disappear due to the grazing requirement not being met. This would hit the organic sector at a sensitive time, as milk and other organic products are currently in short supply. The number of organic farmers has been declining for the second year in a row, driven by strong consumer demand.